Dobby's Reward

For a moment there was nothing but silence as we stood in the doorway, covered in muck and slime and in my case blood. There was a scream.

"Ginny!"

It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter.

Lizzy was watching happily at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley embracing their daughter. But I on the other hand was looking at Professor Dumbledore. He was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming, next to Professor McGonagall. She was taking great, steady gasps, clutching her chest.

Fawkes went whooshing past my ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder, just as Mrs. Weasley pulled Ron and I in a tight embrace. Mr. Weasley held Lizzy like she was his own daughter.

"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," Professor McGonagall said weakly.

Mrs. Weasley let go of me, I hesitated for a moment before walking over to the desk and laying the Sorting Hat, the ruby encrusted sword, and what was left of Riddle's diary.

I told them everything. For nearly a quarter of an hour I spoke, I told them about how Lizzy and I heard the disembodied voice, how Hermione had finally realized that we were hearing a basilisk in the pipes; how Ron, Lizzy and I had followed the spiders into the forest, that Aragog had told us where the last victim of the basilisk had died; how we figured out that Moaning Myrtle had been the victim, and that the entrance of the Chamber of Secrets might be in her bathroom.

"Very well," Professor McGonagall prompted as I stopped. "so you found out where the entrance was, breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, I might add, but how on earth did you get of there alive, Potter?"

Lizzy had tried to help out but confessed how she wasn't sure what happened next.

My voice was growing hoarse from all this talking but I was able to tell them about Fawkes's timely arrival and about the Sorting Hat giving him the sword. So far I've avoided mentioning Riddle's diary, or Ginny.

Ginny was standing with her head against Mrs. Weasley's shoulder, and tears were still coursing silently down her cheeks. I was worried. What if they expelled her? Panic was coursing through me. Riddle's diary didn't work anymore. How could we proves that it had been Riddle who's made her do it all?

Instinctively I looked at Dumbledore, he gave me a faint smile. The firelight glancing off his half-moon spectacles.

"What interests me the most," Dumbledore said gently "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."

Relief, warm, sweeping, glorious relief swept over me. "W-whats that?" said Mr. Weasley in a stunned voice. "You-Know-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not…Ginny hasn't been…has she?"

"It was this diary," I said quickly, picking it up and showing it to Dumbledore. "Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen…"

Dumbledore took the diary from me and peered keenly down his long, crooked nose at its burnt and soggy pages.

"Brilliant," he said softly. "Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen." He turned around to the Weasleys, who were looking utterly bewildered.

"Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school…traveled far and wide…sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."

"But Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley. "Whats our Ginny got to do with- with- him?"

"His d-diary." Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year…"

"Ginny!" Mr. Weasley said flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything. What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain? Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic."

"I d-didn't know," Ginny sobbed. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it…"

"Miss Weasley should go up to the Hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice. "This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort." He strode over to the door and opened it. "Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her. "You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice, I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."

"S0 Hermione's okay!" Ron said brightly.

"There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny," said Dumbledore.

Mrs. Weasley led Ginny out, and Mr. Weasley followed, still looking deeply shaken.

"Why don't you head to the hospital wing too Elizabeth, you look like you yourself have encountered some injuries." She lifted her hand up to the back of her head "I'm okay, it doesn't hurt all that much anymore." He frowned nodding slowly.

"You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"

"Right," Professor McGonagall said crisply, also moving to the door. "I'll leave you to deal with Potters and Weasley, shall I?"

"Certainly," said Dumbledore.

She left, Lizzy, Ron, and I gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore. What exactly had Professor McGonagall meant, deal with us? Surely, surely they weren't about to be punished?

"I seem to remember telling you both that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules," Elizabeth smacked my arm hard "You forgot to mention that!" I laughed nervously at that.

Ron opened his mouth in horror.

"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling. "You three will receive Special Awards for Service to the school and, let me see, yes, I think one hundred and thirty-three points apiece for Gryffindor."

Ron went brightly pink as Lockhart's valentine flowers and closed his mouth again.

"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"

I completely forgot about Lockhart. I turned and saw that Lockhart was standing in a corner of the room, still wearing his vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.

"Professor Dumbledore," Ron said quickly, "there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart…"

"Am I a professor?" Lockhart said in mild surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?"

"He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.

"Personally I prefer him this way." Lizzy spoke up not. It was openly obvious that Lizzy didn't like Lockhart so it wasn't a surprise to anyone.

"Dear me," Dumbledore said shaking his head, his long silver mustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gildery!"

"Sword?" Lockhart said dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That boy has, though." He pointed to me. "He'll lend you one."

"Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore said to Ron and Elizabeth. "I'd like a few more words with Harry…"

Lockhart ambled out. Ron cast a curious look back at Dumbledore and Harry as he closed the door behind him and Lizzy.

Dumbledore crossed to one of the chairs by the fire.

"Sit down, Harry," he said and I sat I couldn't help feeling nervous.

"First of all, Harry, I want to thank you," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling again. "You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you."

He stroked the Phoenix, which had fluttered down onto his knee. I grinned awkwardly as Dumbledore watched me.

"And so you met Tom Riddle," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. "I imagine he was most interested in you and your sister…"

There was something nagging at the back of my mind but before I could stop myself.

"Professor Dumbledore…Riddle said I'm like him. Strange likenesses, he said…"

"Did he, now?" Dumbledore said looking thoughtfully at me from under his thick silver eyebrows.

"And what do you think, Harry?"

"I don't think I'm like him! And Lizzy isn't Slytherin's pet!" I said louder than I intended to. "I mean, Im, Im in Gryffindor, I'm…" I don't know why I told him that about Lizzy. But I couldn't finish my sentence. Maybe the sorting hat was wrong?

"Professor," I started up again after a moment. "The Sorting Hat told me I'd, I'd have done well in Slytherin. Everyone thought it was either Lizzy was the Slytherin's heir or me for a while…because we can speak Parseltongue."

"You two can speak Parseltongue, Harry," Dumbledore said calmly, "Because Lord Voldemort, who is the last remaining ancestor of Salazar Slytherin, can speak Parseltongue. Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you and your sister that scar. Not something he intended to do, I'm sure…"

"Voldemort put a pit of himself in me?" I said confused.

"It certainly seems so."

"So I should be in Slytherin," I said looking into Dumbledore's face desperately. "The Sorting Hat could see Slytherin's power in me, and it…"

"Put you in Gryffindor," Dumbledore said calmly. "Listen to me, Harry. You happen to have many qualities Salazar Slytherin prized in his hand-picked students. His own very rare gift, Parseltongue, resourcefulness, determination, a certain disregard for rules," he added, his mustache quivering again. "Yet the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor. You know why that was. Think."

"It only put me in Gryffindor," I said very defeated "because I asked not to go in Slytherin…"

"Exactly," said Dumbledore beaming once more. "Which makes you very different from Tom Riddle. It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, fare more than our abilities." I sat motionless in my chair. Stunned. "If you want proof, Harry, that you belong in Gryffindor, I suggest you look more closely at this."

Dumbledore reached across to Professor McGonagall's desk, picked up the blood stained silver sword, and handed it to me. Dully, I turned it over, the rubies blazing in the firelight. And then I saw the name engraved just below the hilt.

Godric Gryffindor.

"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat, Harry." Dumbledore said simply. For a minute neither of us spoke. Dumbledore pulled open one of the drawers in Professor McGonagall's desk and took out a quill and a bottle of ink.

"What you need, Harry, is some food and sleep. I suggest you go down to the feast, while I write to Azkaban, we need our gamekeeper back. And I must draft an advertisement for the Daily Prophet, too," he added thoughtfully. "We'll be needed a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher…Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?"

I got up and crossed to the door, just as I reached for the handle, however, the door burst open so violently that it bounced back off the wall.

Lucius Malfoy stood there, fury in his face. And cowering behind his legs, heavily wrapped in bandages, was Dobby.

"Good evening, Lucius," Dumbledore said pleasantly.

Mr. Malfoy almost knocked me over as he swept into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, crouching at the hem of his cloak, a look of abject terror on his face.

The elf was carrying a stained rag with which he was attempting to finish cleaning Mr. Malfoys shoes. Apparently Mr. Malfoy had set out in a great hurry, for not only where his shoes half polished, but his usually sleek hair was disheveled. Ignoring the elf bobbing apologetically around his ankles, he fixed his cold eyes upon Dumbledore.

"So!" he said. "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."

"Well, you see, Lucius," Dumbledore said smiling serenely, "the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth. They'd heard that Arthur Weasleys daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too…Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to cures their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."

Mr. Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes were still slits of fury.

"So, have you stopped the attacks yet?" he sneered. "Have you caught the culprit?"

"We have," Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Well?" Mr. Malfoy said sharply. "Who is it?"

"The same person as last time, Lucius," Dumbledore said. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary."

He held up the small black book with the large hole through the center, watching Mr. Malfoy closely. I however was watching Dobby.

The elf was doing something very odd. His great eyes fixed meaningfully on me, he kept pointing at the diary, then at Mr. Malfoy, and then hitting himself hard on the head with his fist.

"I see…" Mr. Malfoy said slowly to Dumbledore.

"A clever plan," Dumbledore said in a level voice, still staring Mr. Malfoy straight in the eye. "Because if Harry here," Mr. Malfoy shot me with a swift, sharp look "along with his sister and his friend Ron hadn't discovered this book, why, Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free."

Mr. Malfoy said nothing. His face was suddenly masklike.

"And imagine," Dumbledore went on, "what might have happened then…The Weasleys are one of our most prominent pure blood families. Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and killing muggle borns…Very fortunate the diary was discovered, and Riddles memories wiped from it. Who knows what the consequences might have been otherwise."

Mr. Malfoy forced himself to speak.

"Very fortunate," he said stiffly.

And still, behind his back, Dobby was pointing, first to the diary, then to Lucius Malfoy, then punching himself in the head.

I understood. I nod at Dobby and Dobby backed into a corner, now twisted his ear in punishment.

"Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?" I asked.

Lucius Malfoy rounded on me.

"How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?" he said.

"Because you gave it to her," I said. "In Flourish and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"

I saw Mr. Malfoys hands clench and unclench.

"Prove it," he hissed.

"Oh, no one will be able to do that," Dumbledore said smiling at me. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you."

Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and I saw his right hand twitch as though he was longing to reach for his wand. Insteadm he turned to his house elf.

"We're going, Dobby!"

He wretched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to the him, he kicked him right through it. I could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. I stood for a moment, thinking hard.

"Professor Dumbledore," I said hurriedly. "Can I give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy, please?"

"Certainly, Harry," Dumbledore said calmly. "But hurry. The feast, remember."

I grabbed the diary and dashed out of the office. I could hear Dobby's squeals of pain receding around the corner. Quickly wondering if this plan could possibly work, I took off one of my shoes, pulled off my slimy, filthy sock, and stuffed the diary into it. Then ran down the dark corridor.

I was able to catch up with them at the top of the stairs.

"Mr. Malfoy," I gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you,"

And I forced the smelly sock into Lucius Malfoy's hand.

"What the ?"

Mr. Malfoy ripped the sock off the diary, threw it aside, then looked furiously from the ruined book to Harry.

"You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Harry Potter." He said softly. "They were meddlesome fools too."

He turned to go.

"Come, Dobby. I said, come."

But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's disgusting, slimy sock, and looking at it as though it were a priceless treasure.

"Master has given a sock," the elf said in wonderment. "Master gave it to Dobby."

"Whats that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. "What did you say?"

"Got a sock," said Dobby in disbelief. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, and Dobby, Dobby is free."

Lucius Malfoy stood frozen, staring at the elf then he lunged at me.

"You've lost me my servant, boy!"

But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"

There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backward. He crashed down the stairs, three at a time, landing in a crumpled heap on the landing below. He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long, threatening finger.

"You shall go now," he said fiercely, pointing down at Mr. Malfoy. "You shall not touch Harry Potter. You shall go now."

Lucius Malfoy had no choice. With a last, incensed stare at us he swung his cloak around him and hurried out of sight.

"Harry Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly, gazing up at me, moonlight from the nearest window reflected in his orb like eyes. "Harry Potter set Dobby free!"

"Least I could do, Dobby," I said grinning happily. "Just promise never to try and save my life again."

Dobby's brown face split into a wide, toothy smile.

'I've got one question, Dobby," I asked as Dobby put my sock on with shaking hands.

"You've told me all this had nothing to do with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, remember? Well…"

"It was a clue, sir," Dobby said, his eyes widening, as though it was obvious. "Was giving you a clue. The Dark Lord, before changed his name, could be freely named, you see?"

"Right," I said weakly. "Well, I'd better go. There's a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by now…"

Dobby threw his arms around my waist and hugged me.

"Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Harry Potter!" And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared.

Elizabeth's Pov:

Ron, Lockhart, and I walked down the cool hallways. Lockhart would say something about how amazing or how incredible the castle was every now and then. Ron on the other hand was having trouble figuring out what to say.

"You okay?" Lockhart ignored us walking behind us since he didn't know the way.

"Yeah, hey thanks for saving Ginny."

I couldn't take credit for something I never did. I didn't do anything.

"Well it was Harry who was able to save her…I just was there."

"Still, you were there while I was stuck."

"I'm just glad she's okay,"

"Me too."

We went back a comfortable silence. As we got close I saw Draco, he was walking with his friends to the Great Hall for the feast. Crabbe and Goyle were laughing at what he said, probably about Ron's dirty clothes.

"Stupid Malfoy." He snapped hatefully. I didn't mind I was used to it by now.

Our eyes locked and I gave a small wave, his grey eyes widen in surprise. I know I must probably look a mess. I was covered in dirt, slime, and blood. "Lizzy! What happened to you?" I laughed nervously scratching the back of my neck. Ron and Lockhart waited in the distance.

"Oh um…it's a long story." Draco was looking me over. He saw my cuts and bruises, he even ended up getting some of my blood on him. "We need to get you to the hospital wing." I laughed shaking my head "I'm okay really Draco."

I look back at Ron and nodded my head to tell him to go on without me, that I'd catch up with him later. He understood walking off pushing Lockhart as he did so. Crabbe and Goyle watched Draco waiting orders.

"Elizabeth." Draco grabbed my shoulders shaking me slightly in the process. "You need to go to the hospital wing." I only rolled my eyes at that. "Draco calm down, it's just a few bumps and bruises nothing too bad."

"Are you sure?" he was skeptical but nodded. "We were headed to the Great Hall for dinner." I nodded. I wanted to tell him what happened. I wanted to tell him everything. But with dumb and dumber behind him I couldn't really do anything. I look away I could no longer see Ron or Lockhart, Ron was probably spending time with his sister or with Hermione.

"Crabbe, Goyle head on without me." Facing Draco, I saw him have his back to me. "Make sure you save me a seat." They nodded before rushing off to the feast.

"We can walk together now." He extended his hand to me so we decided to walk at a nice pace.

I explained everything from how we found out Ginny was trapped in the Chamber of Secrets, to how Riddle paralyzed me and the Basilisk knocked me into a pillar, then how Harry killed the creature and how everyone was safe again.

"I guess I should show him some sort of gratitude for saving you." I laughed smiling at him "Well it would be nice seeing you treat my brother the same way you treat me."

He let out a snort pulling me closer to him. I wince slightly, my ribs ached but time would heal those wounds.

"Don't get used to it Lizzy, your brother and I have a mutual hatred toward each other, no matter what you do we'll hate each other. I'll be nice to him, just this once for you." I sighed shaking my head "I guess that's the best I can get from you isn't it?"

He nodded "I'm glad you're okay," he said softly kissing my temple "I don't know what I would have done if you had died down there." I smile up at him "Maybe be friends with Harry?" he snorted again laughing to himself.

"You really are funny Lizzybear." I giggle spinning to a stop in front of him.

"I can try," I felt Draco brush some of my red hair behind my ear showing off some of the scratches adorning my cheek.

"Which is why it's one of the reasons why I like you so much."

Now I've been to several Hogwarts feasts, but this was different. Everyone was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night. Upon entering I saw Hermione talking with Ron and Harry, they were probably catching her up on what has happened while she was out.

I let go of Draco's hand and rush forward. "Hermione!" I exclaimed tackling her into a hug. I clutch her just as tightly as she did me. I missed her. I laughed smiling up at her "I'm so glad you're okay! I missed you so much!"

Draco walked over to Harry. They stared each other down before he let out a sigh of annoyance sticking out his hand. "Thanks for, you know, protecting Lizzy down there." Harry stared at his hand hesitantly reaching his hand up and shaking hands with Draco.

I smile brightly watching the two. "Yeah, well I would have anyway." Draco rolled his grey eyes at what Harry said.

"Don't get used to this Potter, I'm only doing this because she asked me to." They separated and Harry nodded. "Understandable."

"I'll see you later," Draco said to me before walking over to the Slytherin table. The night was incredible, the food was always amazing, but half past three Hagrid came back. He had cuffed Harry and Ron's shoulders that they fell into their plates of trifle. It was great to see him again. Hogwarts wasn't the same without him.

Harry and Ron had gotten four hundred points for Gryffindor securing the House Cup for the second year running, and Professor McGonagall telling everyone that the exams had been canceled as a school treat!

Hermione was the only one who was upset about it.

Professor Dumbledore announced that Lockhart wouldn't be able to return next year, owing to the face that he needed to go away and get his memory back. We students weren't the only ones cheering. Some of the teachers joined in too.

"Shame," Ron said helping himself to ta jam doughnut. "He was starting to grow on me." I made a face at him "Just kidding." We laughed high fiving each other before getting some more food.

The rest of term went by in a breeze. Hogwarts was back to normal only there were a few small differences. Defense Against the Dark Arts was canceled obviously and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor.

According to Harry, Draco wasn't strutting around the school as if he owned the place. He was just upset but I did my best to help him feel better. Ginny was back to normal perfectly happy again and it was great!

It was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express all too soon. For a while Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny and I had a compartment to ourselves, it was a bit cramped but we were able to play Exploding Snap and we set off the last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks. After that I left to see Draco and his friends.

When I got there I saw Crabbe and Goyle snoozing away with some candies from the trolly scattered around them. Draco was reading a book. "Hey wanna hang out before we say goodbye for the summer?"

He closed his book scooting over for me to sit. "We can always write and I know mother will want to meet you." I laughed "Well I doubt my Aunt and Uncle will let me leave to hang out with my friends."

Draco shrugged "I'll just have to, you know, come see you."

"Well if you do, that'll be nice."

We chatted and joked it was fun. When the train came to a stop we walked out while Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined us. The three gave Draco a bad stare. I faced "I'll write you this summer alright?" I nodded and felt him place a kiss on my cheek before leaving to be with his parents.

"I gave Ron and Hermine our number." Harry said changing the subject. "Great! It'll be nice to talk to someone beside Dudley over the summer."

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" Hermione asks. "When they hear about what you two did this year?"

"Proud?" I laughed shaking my head "Are you crazy?" I asked confused.

"All those times we could've died, and we didn't manage it? They'll be furious…"

I sighed shaking my head "Oh well,"

Together we walked through the gateway to the Muggle world.

SO SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN A WHILE AND I'M SORRY IF THE LAST TWO CHAPTERS SUCKED.

I got a two bad reviews and I just felt sad and didn't want to write since I was afraid I was butchering the story plus I had a bunch of other crap going on interfering with my writings. Anyway I apologize again for the last chapter I couldn't think of what to do with Lizzy in the chamber. It was a Harry and Voldemort thing and I couldn't just put an oc in and let her destroy it. So I knocked her out. Please don't hate me.

For those of you who stuck with me I'm happy you did! Thank you!

I hope you enjoyed Harry and Elizabeth Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Now I must write for my other stories! I'll add another chapter to here when I decide to write the next in the series…that is if I can and I don't lose all of you who have read this and now hate it now. I guess I'll see, later everyone!

Thanks again for reading everyone :)